Window clearing system



I A ril 4, 1939. E. c. HORTON WINDOW CLEARING SYSTEM Filed-Jan. 21, 1936INVENTOR Erwm Cfiursom Q M,@wc%yv ATTORNEYS I Patent'ed pr. 9 i193WINDOW GLEARIN G SYSTEM Erwin C. Horton, Hamburg, N. Y., assignor toTrico Products Corporation, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application January 21, 1936. Serial No. 60,115 15 Claims. (01. 15-250)This invention relates to a windshield clearing system and it hasparticular reference to apparatus or means for spraying the windowsurface with a clearing fluid to maintain a clear field of vision forthe motorist.

In devices of this nature heretofore designed, it has been proposed todeposit the clearing fluid on the window surface in the path of thewindshield wiper in a continuous manner and without regard to a waste ofthe fluid.

The present invention has for its object to provide a clearing system inwhich the clearing fluid is applied to the window surface in a definiteand conservative manner to cooperate with the wiping means for greaterefllciency. Furthermore, the invention contemplates the fluid beingautomatically applied to the surface at intervals, so as toavoid wasteof the fluid as well as to 111 crease its effectiveness.

The invention further resides in the features 'of construction and theirarrangements and combinations of parts by which the clearing system isrendered reliable and efficient. In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is afragmentary sectional view of a motor vehicle equipped with a windshieldclearing system' of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; g

Fig. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the apparatus in frontelevation;

Fig. 3 is a detailed plan view of an operating connection between thewindshield cleaner motor and the fluid applicator;

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view through a modified form of theinvention; and

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the spray piston and its operator.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the muneral I designates awindow or windshield of a motor vehicle across which is reciprocated awiper -2 by the wiper carrying arm 3. The arm is driven from the wipershaft 4 of the motor 5, the latter having a piston or vane 6 which isoscillated in the motor chamber by the reverse application of thepressure differential as accomplished by means of valve mechanism invalve chamber I. The motor 5 may be mounted upon abracket 8 behind theinstrument panel 9 and beneath the cowl Ill of the motor vehicle bodystructure. The motor shaft is projected through the cowl and givenproper support by means of the bearing member II. The motor may beoperated by pressure or otherwise, the present disclosure having apressure line I2 leading from a source of pressure (not shown) through acontrol valve It to the automatic pressure distributing valve mechanismin chamber I.

The means provided for spraying a clearing fluid on the window so as toloosen such foreign matter as may accumulate incidental to modem 5conditions of travel, may have the spray nozzle I4 combined with orcarried as a part of the bearing member I I. This nozzle is connected bya passage iii to a source of clearing fluid such as the container iii. Ameasured quantity or charge 10 of the clearing fluid contained in thetank It is taken through a valved inlet I'I into a chamber I8 as thepiston or movable wall I8 therein moves to enlarge the chamber capacity.0n the reverse stroke of the movable wall It the fluid is elected llthrough a valved outlet 20 and by means of the passage [5 through thespray nozzle H on to the window surface. .7 v

According to the present invention, means are provided forintermittently spraying a charge of the clearing fluid on the window. InFig. 1 such means embodies a spring 22 for resiliently urging themovable wall IS on its fluid expelling stroke, the reverse stroke of themovable wall being imparted by a single acting motor under the a controlof the wiper operating mechanism. This motor comprises a piston ormovable wall 23 which is connected by a rod 24 to the movable wall I9and is opened to the atmosphere on one side and subjected to the sourceof pressure on a the opposite side by a conduit 25. This conduit isconnected to one side of the cleaner motor 5 by conduit 26 so that everytime this side of the cleaner motor is connected by its automatic valvemechanism in chamber 1 to the source of operating pressure, the movablewall 23 is likewise subjected to the pressure influence which serves tocompress the spring 22 for subsequent release when the valve mechanismnext reverses the pressure differential. The fluid is therefore apwplied intermittently by the cleaner motor.

In the particular illustration, the operating pressure is negative orso-called suction, such as maintains inthe intake manifold of theoperating motor vehicle engine or as may be developed 5 by a suctionpump, and consequently when the adjacent side of the cleaner motor 5 isopen to the source of suction the motor chamber 21 of the sprayactuating device is likewise open to the source of suction so as tocompress the spring 22. When such adjacent side of the motorisdisconnected from the source of suction and is open to the atmosphere,like atmospheric communication is provided for the motor chamber 21. Theopposite side of the movable wall 23 may be open a to the atmospherethrough a port so. if such is desired.

when it is not desired to use the spray, the term spray being used toinclude any method of applying the fluid, a valve 29, introduced in thepassage 25, is closed. This valve 29 may he under a common control withthe valve 98 and to this end the latter may be in the form of a sleeveslidably guided in the housing as by means of a feather and stem 3! ofthe valve 28 may be threaded or otherwise connected thereto so thatindependent opening of the valve it may be effected when desired. thevalve sleeve being provided with a groove 32 for interconnecting thepressure passage it and the main motor passa e 33.,

Where the wiper is operated mechanically or electrically it may bedesirous to have the fluid ejecting piston it) (Figs. e and 5) operatedby mechanical means, suchas by means of a earn 3 5 fixed on the wiperactuating shaft 35. This shaft is illustrated as carrying a pinion 38adapt ed to be oscillated by a rack 3? which may be interconnected withanother window wiper, where a tandem arrangement of wipers is desired,or to a power drive. In this embodiment of the invention the motorspring 22' will be compressed by the cam 3 as it presses downwardly onthe piston rod 24', and as the cam rides out of contact with such rod,the spring 22' will be released for exerting an upward pressure on theclearing fluid in the chamber it, from whichit is ejected through thevalved outlet 26'.

In either form of the invention, it will be obvious that as the wiper isoscillated or moved back and forth on the window, the clearing fluidwill be deposited on every second stroke of the wiper. This will permitthe deposited fluid being thoroughly wiped over the window surface fordissolving or loosening any foreign matter collected thereon, so thatwhen the next charge is forcibly sprayed on the glass the precedingspray will have been applied to the entire surface for greater economy.Further, this action will serve to loosen such foreign matter by reasonof its forceful application. When it is desired to discontinue the useof the intermediate application of the fluid, the valve 29 will beclosed, as by turning the stem 3| through the valve sleeve l3. When itis desired to completely shut off the cleaner system, a reverse turningof the stem 3| will shift the valve sleeve l3 while maintaining thevalve 29 closed.

While the foregoing description has been given in detail, it is notthereby intended to limit the invention, since the inventive principleshere involved are applicable to other physical embodiments withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A window clearing system for motor vehicles, comprising a wiper,means for moving the wiper back and forth on the window surface, andfluid applying means for depositing a clearing fluid on such windowsurface, said fluid applying means including a fluid expelling motorintermittently operated by said moving means to effect deposition of theclearing fluid on the window surface at intervals.

2. A window clearing system comprising a wiper, means for moving thewiper back and forth on a window surface, a source of clearing fluid,means for applying such clearing fluid on the window surface atpredetermined intervals of wiper operation, said fluid applying meansemarsenic bcdying a single acting motor, and means for coordinating thewiper moving means with said motor for shooting operation of the fluidapplying means with one wiper stroke intervening successive charges ofthe applied fluid.

3. A window clearing system comprising a wipor, means for moving thewiper back and forth on. a window surface. a source of clearing fluidsupply, means for applying such clearing fluid on the window surface,said fluid applying me embodying a single acting motor, means forcoordinating the wiper moving means with said applying means foreffecting operation of the mo= tor intermittently with one wiper strokeintervening successive charges of the fluid, and a comon control forsaid wiper moving means said motoro e. A window clearing systemcomprising a wiper, means for moving the wiper on a window surface, asource of clearing fluid, power operated means for applying suchclearing fluid on the window surface, and means operated by the wip== ormoving means on every other stroke of the wiper for setting saidapplying means in openationwho. the clearing fluid is always wiped tonthe surface by said wiper in one direction.

5. A window clearing system having a wiper, and means for moving it onthe window surface, combined with fluid applying-means, and means forforcibly feeding fluid to said applying means, said feeding means beingactuated intermittently by said moving means to wet such window surface.

6. A window clearing system comprising a wiper, means for moving thewiper back and forth on a window surface, a source of clearing fluid, apump for withdrawing fluid from the source and delivering it on to thewindow surface, and means coordinated with the wiper moving means foroperating the pump on alternate strokes of the wiper.

7. A window clearing system comprising a wiper, means for moving thewiper back and forth on a window surface, a source of clearing fluid,pump means for applying such clearing fluid on to the window surface,said pump means embodying a motor part, and an operative connectionbetween said motor part and said wiper moving means for intermittentlyactuating the pump means.

8. A window clearing system comprising a wiper, means for moving thewiper back and forth on a window surface, a source of clearing fluid,pump means for applying such clearing fluid on to the window surface,said pump means embodying a motor part, said pump means also embodying areclprocable wall movable in one direction to intake fluid from thesource and in the opposite direction to expel the fluid on to the windowsurface, and an operative connection between the wiper moving means andthe motor part for effecting operation of the movable wall of said pumpmeans on alternate strokes.

9. A window clearing system comprising a wiper, fluid pressure actuatedmeans for moving the wiper back and forth, a source of clearing fluid,and fluid pressure actuated means having fluid communication with thefirst means and with the source of clearing fluid for applying suchclearing fluid on a. window surface.

10. A window clearing system comprising a wiper, means for actuating thewiper including a double acting fluid pressure motor operable back andforth by reverse applications of the operating pressure, a. source ofclearing fluid, and fluid pressure actuated means for applying suchclearing fluid on a window surface, said applying means being connectedto said double acting fluid pressure motor to receive its operatingpressure therefrom on alternate changes of pressure application thereto.

11. A window clearing system comprising a source of clearing fluid,means for applying the clearing fluid to the window surface, fluidpressure actuated means having a line for communication with a supply ofoperating pressure and operable for feeding the fluid from the source tosaid applying means, and automatic means interposed in the pressure linefor opening and closing the latter, to intermittently subject saidfeeding means to the operating pressure.

12. A window clearing system comprising a source of clearing fluid,means for applying the fluid on the window surface, a pump for feedingthe fluid from the source to said applying means, said pump having areciprocatory piston backed by a spring for moving the piston on onestroke to expel the clearing fluid, and intermittently operating meansfor actuating the pump on the reverse stroke for intaking a charge ofthe clearing fluid from said source.

13. A window clearing system comprising in combination with a source ofsuction such as that provided by the power plant of a motor vehicle, asource of clearing fluid, suction operated means for pumping the fluidfrom said fluid source and delivering it onto the window, and means forintermittently connecting said suction operated means to said source ofsuction in the power plant.

14. A window clearing system comprising in Patent No. 2,155, 5190combination with a source of suction such as the intake manifold of amotor vehicle engine, a source of clearing fluid for applying on awindow surface to be cleaned, suction operated pump means for applyingthe clearing fluid to the window surface, said pump means having areciprocating piston operable on one stroke to in take fluid from thesource of clearing fluid, means for urging the pumping means on thereturn stroke to expel the liquid onto the window surface, and suctionactuated means connected to the source of suction and operableintermittently to open and close communication between the pump meansand the source of suction whereby said piston will have intaking andexpelling strokes imparted thereto.

15. A window clearing system comprising a wiper, a double acting fluidpressure motor having a part operatively connected to the wiper andmovable back and forth in a chamber, a source of clearing fluid, a fluidpressure actuated pump having a fluid displacing element movable in onedirection for intaking fluid from the source and moving in the oppositedirection for expelling the intake fluid onto the window, a passageconnecting the pump to the chamber at one side of said part whereby saidfluid displacing element is fluid pressure actuated on one stroke whenthe operating pressure is being applied to the chamber at said one sideof said part, and memans independent of said motor for actuating saidfluid displacing element on the reverse stroke when the operatingpressure is being applied to said opposite side of said part.

ERWIN C. HORTON.

April 959.

ERWIN C. HORTON.

'It is hereby certified that'error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3,second column, line 51, claim 15, for memans read means and that thesaid Let- Q ters' Patent shouldbe read with this correction thereinthatthe same may conform to the record ofrthe case in thePatent'Off-ice.

Signed and sealed this 9th day of May, ii. D. 1959.

(Seal) Henry Van Arsdale Acting Commissioner of Patents.

